Valve mechanism for combustion engines



E. A. SPERRY VALVE MECHANISM'FOR COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed March 5, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 3,1921. f 1.621.210

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IIIIIIIIII A 2mm/151157911X v ,l l j l May 3.1927. y 1,627,210

E. A. SPERRY VALVE MECHANISM FOR GOMBUSTION ENGINES v Filed March s, 1921 2 sheets-sheet 2- .ullll I Patented May 3, 1927.

U-NITED STATES PATENT oF-FlcE.

ELMEIR.` A. SPERRY, OE- BROOKLYN,` NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR .TO SPERRY DEVELOP- MENT COMPANY, E DOVER GREEN, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE.

VALVE vlvuacHAivIsM Fonl coMBUs'roN ENGINES.

Appucatita 1aed March a, 1921. serial No. 449,412;

This invention relates to internal combustion engines `especially of the/multiple expansion type and to the valve mechanism therefor. The invention has particular reff s erence to thetype of multiple expansion Diesel engine, shown and described in my copending application for Letters Patent Serial No. 405,917 Diesel `engines `and method of operating the same, iiledl'August i 25, 1920, and has,'for one of the objects, the improvement of the t'ansfer' and intake valve mechanisms for such engine, although the invention has a much broader application in the art, the invention having appli- .i cation to other types` of heating engines `and cycles wherein valves are employed to control the entrance of the hot Working gases. 1n compound combustion engines a high pressure or combustion cylinder acts,

of course, in 'two capacities.- first, as a `combustion space or chamber wherein the .fuel vis burned to produce the pressure,l and second, as a means for partially expanding the working gases. The low pressure or expansion cylinder, on "the other hand,operates solely as an expanding cylinder, the problem of admitting the hot gasesthereto being substantially the same as in any heat engine wherein combustion takes place prior 3" to the entry into the cylinder. y

`In an engine operated according `to said application, sudden large fluctuations in pressure Within both the combustion and expansion cylinders take place,the former being due to the detonating explosion const-n tilting an important feature of my improved engine cycle and the latter being due linlarge part to the cushioning employed in the expansion cylinder. The general opi eration of this type of engine will be readily understood by reference to my Patent No. 1,325,810 dated December 23, 1919.

One of t-he objects of the invention 1s to overcome certain defects in the valve mechanism employed in `this type of engine and to produce a valve mechanism ,which is entirely independentof springs and which," by its fundamental design, can` not be blown oft its seat. l Referring to the drawings, in which what l now consider thepreferred form of my invention. is shown Y Fig. 1 shows a simplified plan view of the engine constructed according to my inven- 55 tion.` Y

Y Fig. 2 is a vertical section of my improved combined transfer and intake valve. .Figj isa transverse section taken on line 3-3 ofpFig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sect-ion of one half of my engine, taken approximately `on liney ,Lt-4t of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section taken approximately on line f of Fig; 4' through the duct connect- 'i 1g thelow pressure cylinder and the oom- `bined' transfer and intakeyalve i Fig. 6 isa vertical section through a jmoditied form of pipe or ductk connecting theV low pressure cylinder and the balancing pistons on said valve.`

Fig. i is a transverse section takenv on line 'THT of Fig; 6.

My preferred engine unit comprises a pair ofL hi l1 pressure or combustion cylinders l anc 2 and a common low pressure or expansion cylinder 3, the combustion cyln -inders being four cycle and arranged to ex- Ihaust alternately into said common expansion cylinder. Each combustion cylinder is provided with a fuel injection. valve 1, preferably of the high pressure, solid `injection' typeas described in the aforesaid application and: may also be equipped With an ig nit-ion coil The pistonV 6 of the low pressure'cylinder 3 also acts as a pump for precompressing the air supply for the high pressure cylinder. For this purpose poppet vintake andi outlet valves 7 and 8 areshown in the bottom of the cylinder 3, the former i aidnnttmgthe atmospheric air While Vthe latg ter is connected by a pipe 9 to the pressure reservoir or tank 10; From 'said reservoir theinduction. air is led to the high pressure cylinder through pipe' 11, port 12, cooling I duct 13 (described` in `detail herinafter) and branch pipes 1,11', 14. Pipe 14. leadsto the passage 15 in the Vcombined induction andrtransf'er valve 17 `While the pipe 14 leads-to asimilar valve mechanism 16 on the Y other"cylinder through' a similar passage 15,

noty shown. VSuch valves arev preferably located Withinthe `clearance` space 18 of the high pressure cylinder, kthe transfer valve pro/per 19 being located immediately yover `the t'opof` the low pressure cylinder-adjacent the high pressure cylinder With the stem 20' thereof leading upwardly through. said clearance space'18. I

The inductionvalve proper`21"is preferably" seated on the topfof the transfer valve Htl and is made in a form of a sleeve extending upwardly through said space and having a restricted middle portion 22, having` a pis- Asubject to the pressure of the induction air within the space i and, tliei'efoi,e,'teiids to hold the valveQ'l on its seat againsttlie F top of valve 19, thereby also holding` valve 1S) on its seat. l

As pointed out above, in an engine or this class, Ythe sudden variations vin pressurev in A the high pressure cylinder tend to force the gas between the induction and transfer valves, thereby tendiii to lift the former oil V,its seat. To prevent this, l prefer to provide the induction valve Awith a iiaring inner end 24! having` an upwardly facing surface subject vto the downward pressure of the gases within said clearance space 18. The diameterof said flaring` end,.while greater than that of the restricted middle portion 22 is preferably less than that of the piston 23 in order to rmaintain the downward pressure of the intake compressed Vair within the space i5 and on sleeve 22 greater than the upward pressure thereof-in other words, so that the internal diameter oi said flaring lower end 2.4L is materially less than the diameter of said piston 24. y y

norder to cool the. valve, especially the transfer; valve, the upper surface thereof and the stein 2O are provided with means for increasing` the area thereof exposed to the cooler induction Vair by means such as corrugations or ribs 26 while the interior of said sleeve is also provided with iibs 27 for the same purpose. By such means the area p exposed to the cooler'intake gases is made materially greater than the area of the V valves*exposed to the hot gases within the two cylinders. Preferably, also,`a shield or Abaffle plate 28 is provided between the ribs of the two valves, thereby encouraging or assist-ing the circulation by convection currents of the air when `the valves are closed since the air surrounding` the ribs on thefstem 2O generally beconiesliotter than'the air suri eo rounding the ribs on the sleeve 22. Said plate stopsshort ofthe ribs both at the botv4toni and the top, so that the air may freely circulate, as indicated by small arrows 29.

lt also acts as a guide for both the stem and sleeve. f l

rThe valve Vis preferably also water jacketed as indicated at 30 and Si and, in addition, watery is preferablyy introduced within Vand immediatelyy surrounding the upper portion of the valve stein 20 by means such e as pipes 82 and 33, which keep the water circulating through the space 34:.

VThe water is confined in such space and prevented from getting down into the valves Vby means of a conical shaped metallic meinber 35 preferably double walled, so that the cooling` water will notcool olf materially the induction air. y f

Thevalves are operated in any suitable manner from the cam shaft 36, the transfer valvev being shown as lifted by means ofa bellcrank lever 37, pivoted at 38 and pro vided with a forked endrt) `engaging between shoulders Ll()v and Lil on the upper portion of the valve stem. A lever 4 3 provided with a forked endv is shown for operating the induction valve. Said forked end engages under the annular shoulder lei formed by the under portion of the piston 23. Y

Preferably the pivotal point of support for'said lever #i3 is suspended from the bell crank lever 3T as by iiieansof link d6, so that when the, induction valve is raised,V the transfer valve willstill be held on its seat by means of the pressure of the intake air actingv downwardly upon'tlie induction valve, said pressure beingl then transferred through lever i3 to link 46 to rock the bell lcrank lever AT counter-clockwise so that fork l 39 presses the transfer valve stein 2() down wardly. j I

As descril'ied in said application, it is also necessary vto balance the transfer valve against-sudden variations in pressure in theV low pressure cylinder.A Forinstance-in this type of engine .it is preferred to close the 'exhaust valve somewhat before the end ol lilfl the upward stroke ofthelow pressure pis!V ton, thereby causing` a sudden compression of the gases in the cylinder immediately 'prior to the opening` of one or the other of This sudden pressure jacketed, as at 52,the water being circulated through pipes 53 and 54.

ii e

Viis

Said piston works in i The cylinder 510i: each valve is placed in coii'iniunicatioii with the low pressure cylinderby suitableineans such as a common duct or pipe 55 which branches into pipes 155 and 155 leading to thertwo valves 16 and 17.

v Owing to the high temperature of the transfer gases'and the high temperature to which the exhaust `gases within the low pres llfl ' fee 'sorbing material.

prejler to cause the intake air to pass over or around said duct belore it enters the engine. For this purpose, I have shown the intake :iir as entering through the port 12 as described above and passing upwardly through the large tube 1.3 surrounding the pipe 55. tiaid pipe is provided with plurality of heat radiatinglins 56 so that a maximum amount ot heal; (is absorbed by` the induction air. By iin]'iartinlr;I this heat to said air, it Will be at once apparent that the heat abstracted from the equalizing duct is not dissipating but improves the thermo-dynamic operation by increasing the tei'nperature of the induction air or other gases.

in alternative means et accomplishing the cooling ol the said duct with the gases passingv therethrough is shown in Figs. (i and 7.

ibcording to this modili ization, the duct 527i/ is provided with an ci'ilarged portion 58 which 'may be lilled with cellular heat, ab-

Said material may, iiiade in several layers 59, (3() and (il. oit' (litterent heat resisting qualities, the lower layer being composed ota -i'cliiactory substance such-as Monet metal, the middle layer' ofV copper and the upper layer of aluminum. The structure ot the cellulaiI substances is so arranged as not to 'intl-intere with their passage el? gases through the enlarged portion 58.

lt is -loinid in an engine ot this type that the increase in tcnipcrature ot the gases occurs with great siiddenness as the lai je loiv pressure piston approaches Vthe top ot the :stl-rohe while the expaiiision ot the gases occurs much more sloivlysince during tho eX- pausion stroke the high and low pressure cylinders are placed :iii communication and ai larger quantity ot compressed gas is available. It is tound, there'lore, that the heat absorbed by the cellular .metals as the intensely hot air rises t-lierethi'ough is easily rie-absorbed by the gases as they repass at a slower rate through the metals on theirreturn to the cylinders. lThus, in this case also, the heat absorbed by the gases .is not dissipatedbut is returned to the engine.

In accordance with the provisions ot the patent statutes, I have herein .described the principle ol operation ot my invention, together with the apparatus, which I noiv consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it' understood that the apparatus shown Ais only illustrative and that the invention can be carried `ont by other means. Also, While it is designed `to use the various features and elements in the combination and relations' described, some of these may be altered and others omitted without interfering vwith vthe more general results outlined, and the invention extends to such use.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a combustion engine having a Working cylinder, a valvey adjacent thereto for controlling communication therewith, a balancing piston and cylinder t'or said valve, means tor passing` gases from said Working cylinder to the said balancing cylinder, and means tor absorbing heat .tronr the gases passing through said lirst named means by the gases passing to the worlringrcylinder.

In a., coinbustionzongine havin'ga working cylinder, an air intake passagetlierefor, a valve controlling` communicationl with saidr cylinder, a balancing cylinder an d'piston for said valve, means 'for passing gases from the working cylinder to the balancing cylinder,V and means whereby the said intake air absorbs heat 'trom the gases` passing through sa id first named means. l

3.. Iii a compound combustion engine lia-ving a combustion chamber, an expansion cylinder, a valve in said cylinder having a balancing chamber connected by a duct with said cylinder` a balancing piston therein 'for said valve, and means tor absorbing` heat from said duet and retaining the saine in the engine. V 4

4t. In a compound combustion engine having a conil'iustion chamber, an air intake passage therefor, an expansion cylinder,a valve in said cylinder having a balancing chan'iber connected by a duct with' said cylinder. abalancing piston therein torsaid valve, and means tor absorbing heat from said duct and impartingl it to the intake air. i In a compoundcombustion'engine, th combination with `combustion and expansion cylinders` an airintake passage,` a valve, arbalancingI piston therefor, a cylinder tor said cylinder to said last-named.,cylinder` heat radiatingv means associated with said ductand means for guidingthe intake airV thereover as it passes to the combustion cylinder.

G. In a compound combustion engine, the combination with combustion and expansion cylinder, a valve` a balancing piston therefor, a cylinder for said piston` a duct leading from the expansion cylinder to said Vlastnanied cylinder, heat absorbingl means associated with said duct whereby heat is abstracted from the hotter gases passing` tofard the last-named cylinder,` and inca-ns whereby said heat is retained in the system.

7. In a compound combustion lengine hav-f ing al pair ot' combustion cha-mbers,-an exi ansion cylinder` a passage from cachot sa-i'd chainbersto said cylinder, a transfer lvalve pistoin a duct leading from the expansion isexposedto said precompressed intake `air and the other to the pressure within one ot said cylinders for holding both valves on their seats. l

18. In a combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder, otra valve therefor, a balancing piston-for vsaid valve, a cylinder for said piston, a duct connecting the interior of the first-named and said last-named cylinders, and means for abst'acting heat from the gases passing through said duct.

19. In a compound combustion engine having a pair of combustion cylinders, a common expansion cylinder, a transfer valve connecting each combustion cylinder with the expansion cylinder, a balancing piston connected with each valve, a cylinder for each piston, a common duct leading to both of said last-named cylinders 'from the expansion cylinders, and means associated with said ductv for absorbing heat from the gases as they pass toward either balancing cylinder and reimparting heat tofsaidgases as they return tothe expansion cylinder.

20. In a multiple expansion combustion engine, a combined induction and transfer valve, comprising an inner valve `and valve stem, an outer hollow or sleeve valve, each Y of said valves having ribbed surfaces facing each other and an annular baille plate between the intermediate portions of said ribbed surfaces. p

21. In a combustion engine comprising a combustion chamber, an expansion chamber, a passage between said chalnbers, and a valve controlling said passage, a sleeve valve for controlling the passage of intake gas to the combustion chamber comprising a sleeve surrounding sai-d first-named valve movable independently thereof having a flaring end located within the chamber whereby the sleeve valve is held on its seat by pressure within the latter chamber'.

22. In a combustion engine comprising a combustion chamber, an expansion chamber, a passage. between said chambers, and a valve controlling said passage, a sleeve valve for controlling the passage of intake gas to the combustion chamber sleeve seated on said tirstnamed valve hav-y ing a flaring end located within the combustion chamber whereby both the sleeve valve` and piston are held on their seats by pressure within the latter chamber.

23. In a heat engine comprising a combustion chamber, an expansion chamber, a

vpassage between said chambers, and an outwardly opening poppet valve controlling said passage, a sleeve valve for controlling the gases at a different part ofthe cycle comprising a sleeve seated on the back of said iirst named valve movable independently thereof, having a iiaring end in communication with said expansion 4chamber whereby both the sleeve valve and piston are held on comprising a their` seats by pressure within the latter chamber.

24. In a compound combustion engine having a. pair or combustion chambers, an

expansion cylinder, a. passage 'from cachot' -said cylinders to said chamber, atranslfer v'combustion chamber, an expansion chamber,

a passage between said chambers, a valve controlling the passage of vthe hot gases from said combustion to said expansion chamber, Y

a sleeve valve for controlling the passage of the cooler gas comprising a sleeve having a flaring end located within the chamber and seated on said valve whereby the sleeve valve is held on its seat by pressure wit-hin the latter chamber.

26 In a combustion engine comprising a combustion chamber,- an expansion chamber, a passage between said chambers, and a valve controlling said' passage, a sleeve valve for controlling the passage lof intake gas to the combustion chamber comprising a sleeve having an enlarged portion at one endv constituting a piston exposed to the pressure of the intake gas which passes through said sleeve, anda flaring outward portion at itsv opposite end located'within the combustion chamber.

27. A combined inlet and outlet valve for heat engines comprising an outwardly open ingy poppet valve, and a sleeve-valve seating. on the back thereof, the latter having a flaring mouth and a restricted portion, a housing Vtherefor spaced fromV said mouth, said portion having a piston tit in said housing whereby the pressure around said mouth holds both valves on their seat-s.

2S. A combined inlet and outlet valve for heat engines comprising an outwardly opening poppet' valve, and a sleeve valve seating on the back thereof, the lat-ter having a flaring mout-h and a restricted port-ion, a housing therefor' spaced from said mouth, said portion having a piston fit in said housing whereby the pressure around said mouth fholdsboth valves on their seats, means for operating the poppet valve to admit the working gases to the engine, and means of operating the sleeve valve t0 cause gases ata 1 lower temperature to pass therethrough durvalve controlling said .passage vto admit. the hot gases to said expansion chamber, :1y Sleeve vulve for controlling the passage o' cooler gases at a difel'ent part of the cyee comg prsng a sleeve. seated 011 said vfire@ named valve movable independently thereof, and having a hu'ng end in conlmuneution with femmeY e Suid expansion chamber whereby both the Sleeve valve zulchpiston -ale held on their seats by pressure within the latter chamber.

` ELMERLSPERRY. 

